Not Supposed to Get Out Alive
by Alpha Three
Summary: Sequel to "Raven's Apprentice"...Piper's pregnant and HIVE is in chaos as usual... and worst of all, we haven't heard the last of our devious Russian nemeses... Rated T for mild Nero/Piper-ness and probably some swearing on Nina's part (just to be safe, nothing major)
1. I Want a Milkshake

**A.N.: Here is the first chapter! This is the sequel to "Raven's Apprentice", so it would make A LOT more sense if you read that first. Enjoy and do unto others :)**

Piper, Nero, and Nina were back onboard the Shroud. Number One had let Nero off with the warning, "Under normal circumstances, I would have had you killed on the spot. You've done some **very **unauthorized things. However, you will soon have your hands full between her and the school. Next time, you will not be so lucky. _Mark my words, Maximilian Nero, you and your family will not survive if there is a next time. You already owe me your life. Don't toy with hers'_."

Nina was taking the news surprisingly well, saying, "Wow, seventy-two hours. I bet that's some kind of record. Actually, I think it was more like **three** hours…either way, good job, Suit. First time…wow." Seeing their expressions, she got up to talk to the pilot, leaving them alone.

Nero was looking out the window, having been nearly silent since they left the meeting. Piper held his hand, asking, "You aren't mad, are you, Max?"

"No, angel," he sighed, turning to face her, "How could I be mad at **you**? This is **my** fault. I'm more surprised than mad. I never thought this would be happening so quickly. How are we going to tell the school? What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Maxie. I have no idea. This is all so sudden."

"How do you feel, darling?"

"I'm terrified, Max. What if I do something wrong? It feels so weird, knowing that…that there's part of you…growing inside me," she confessed as Nero pulled her into a hug, "Max, I hate pain. Well, everyone does. How am I going to…? Max, I'm **eighteen**. This kid will be born before my next birthday. Max, I'm terribly scared, more than I've ever been in my life."

"I know. We aren't ready for this but these are the cards that we've been dealt. We'll get through this together, angel," he gave her a kiss, "**Together**."

Nina soon came back, saying, "Piper, I considered calling MTV, but then HIVE would have been exposed."

"Max, can we stop for food? I suddenly really want some French fries and a milkshake," Piper asked, "Nina would agree, I'm sure."

"Okay, I'll see if we can stop."

"No, Max, we **will be** stopping. I must have French fries and a milkshake, or someone will get hurt."

"Okay, we'll stop."

"Max…"

"Yes, I'll get you food!"

Fifteen minutes later, Nero walked back onto the Shroud with food, which Nina and Piper gratefully accepted.

"Better?" Nero asked as they took off once again.

"Yes," Piper leaned her head on his shoulder, "Thank you, Maxie. Fry?"

Nina coughed, "cuddly supervillain" and continued eating. Once she had wolfed down her second hamburger, she asked, "Maxie? _Really?_ How is that supposed to terrify children and strike fear into the hearts of the masses?"

"It's cute," Piper smiled, "and he doesn't mind it."

"No **wonder** that only took a few hours," Nina commented, "Seriously, Maxie, I'm surprised she wasn't pregnant earlier. I owe people some money now. Got a spare hundred bucks?"

"No. don't you dare call me that ever again."


	2. Whomever You Are

Raven was sparring with Wing when Nina ran in, yelling her head off. Raven signaled for him to take a break, pulling Nina aside. "**Raven, there's going to be a mini Suit**!" Nina proclaimed loudly. Wing was holding his Blackbox, checking the time…aka recording Nina's words and saving them. Within nanoseconds, Otto had received the audio file.

Nero and Piper had assembled the staff in a conference room, and Raven was standing up to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, and our distinguished cat, there has been an interesting development in the state of affairs at HIVE. Doctor Scott, would you like to address the crowd?"

Scott stood up, adjusting his lab coat. "Well, you see, a few days ago I did a blood test on Piper. Just a routine thing, since there was a stomach bug going around and she displayed the classic signs of it. The results came back yesterday. She's pregnant."

The assembly cheered their congratulations as Nero spoke, "Thank you all so much. Things will definitely be different here at HIVE, but we will manage. Out of respect for our privacy, we would like you all to keep it confidential for now. That means not sharing it with students or discussing it anywhere near them. Piper, anything to add?"

"As you can tell, we didn't plan for this to happen so soon. Other than that, thank you all."

"Attention students and staff," Nina spoke into the microphone in the central communications room, "I am pleased to inform you of some very interesting news. As you may have been guessing, Piper…**aah**!"

Piper barged into the communications room, ripping the microphone out of her hands. "Piper, stop assaulting me! That's what you have Suit for!" the microphone clicked off, leaving the students wondering.

Meanwhile, in accommodation block seven, Otto and Wing were filling the rest of the group in on what was happening.

"I feel bad for them. I mean, Piper's what, eighteen? She technically could still be a student here," Laura said after Wind had finished playing the file once again.

"There will be being a mini Nero soon, _ja_?" Franz asked, walking up behind them, laden with homework that was due a week before.

"Or a mini Piper," Shelby said, "I hope it's a girl! We'd get to dress her up!"

"Auntie Raven's going to have this kid tactically trained before it can read," Otto added, "I don't think that they'll let you play dress-up."

Piper and Nero lay curled up together late that night. "Do you want a boy or a girl, angel?' Nero asked, pulling a worried Piper into a hug.

"I don't really care, as long as it's a healthy one, Max. What about you?"

"I'd like a son, if I had my choice. As long as we don't name it Maximilian Nero the second."

"Of course not," Piper smiled, "There can only be one Maxie."

"I love you, my angel. Whomever this is," he put a hand to her stomach, "my child. The words sound so new, so…foreign. But I admire you, Piper, that you are so willing to carry around my child for nine months all because of me."

"It is an honor, O Emperor," Piper laughed, "You're going to be a great father."

"Well, you're going to be a fantastic Mum, angel."

"Good night, my field agent," Piper smiled, "I love you."

"Good night, my angel. I love you too."

After a second's pause, Nero added, "Good night, whomever you are."


	3. Two Months Later

Two months later, Nero and Nina had gone to Western Australia for a GLOVE meeting. Raven was on a mission to investigate a suspicious Russian base in Antarctica, leaving Piper at HIVE. Piper, being two months pregnant and beginning to show it, could do nothing, Nero having expressly told her that she shouldn't stress herself out. She had just gotten off the phone with them, satisfied that the meeting was going well.

She had also just informed the school that yes, she was pregnant, and that yes, Nero was the father (Someone had shouted that question out in the back row. A guard had proceeded to take him out of the lecture hall), when she went down to the medical bay.

She had been talking to Dr. Scott for a few minutes when his Blackbox went off. "Piper, they've been captured by Furan." Within seconds, she was in a straightjacket.

The meeting had gone relatively normally, and Nina and Nero had been walking in circles for nearly an hour. Nina had parked the Shroud down a dark alley, but she didn't seem to remember which one.

They were crossing a stretch of dry grass when the sound of a shotgun readying was heard. "You there, get off my lawn!" called an old woman from a rocking chair on the porch of a house nearby.

"Sorry, missus. We're just making our way home down yonder there," Nina replied in a flawless imitation of the woman's dialect.

"What's with that shmancy getup? There a party in town, young man?" the woman was addressing Nero now.

"Why, ma'am, it's just fancy Friday downtown," Nina said as they left.

The woman seemed to accept this, but Nero mumbled, "It's Wednesday, Nina."

They had finally found the Shroud down an alley that they had passed at least six times when the sun was going down. Nero boarded first with a sigh, knowing that they were late and Piper would be worrying.

"Well, hello there," smiled Anastasia Furan as twelve guards circled them, coming out from behind seats and dropping from the ceiling, "Long time, no see, Maximilian."

Nina and Nero were chained down, Nina spitting at Furan, "You look like you stepped on a grenade! Or you caught one with your face."

"Shut up," Furan said back, "Molotov, start up this aircraft. You have five seconds to get us to a hundred and twenty, or I'll be putting a bullet through your head like I did to your brother."

When Piper finally came to again after Scott had sedated her, he explained, "We will have Raven hunting for them…as soon as she returns from Antarctica."

"I'm two months pregnant, my husband has been kidnapped by my worst enemy, and the only person who can possibly do anything about it is in Antarctica, where Blackbox communication is next to impossible. Got any **more** bad news for me, Henry?" Piper sighed.

"Furan is teaming up with the SSK, Piper. Her goal seems to be taking over the GLOVE ruling council through the use of manipulation and the use of the SSK's experiments. Personally, I think she teamed up with them to create her own super soldiers."

"She won't experiment on Max and Nina, will she?!"

"Piper, I think it's worse than that," Scott confessed, "She's going to train Nina, I'm sure, since the SSK has dealt with her before. Max, I'm not so sure. She's going to try and get any and all information on GLOVE and the ruling council out of him that she can. After that, I'm sorry, Piper, but I-"

"No," Piper said, "She can't…"

"Raven will stop her, Piper," Scott assured the restrained girl, "Nina and Max will be fine. For now, just relax and don't stress out over this."

"That's easy for **you** to say," Piper muttered as Scott left, "It isn't **your** family on the line."


	4. Bootleg Twinkies

A week later, Piper met with Dr. Scott once again, who introduced her to Dr. Singh, a former HIVE graduate herself. She had gone on from her years of training to Cambridge, who (rightfully) gave her a degree, although she very well could have faked one exquisitely.

"Call me Pia," she said, holding out her hand, "Piper, yes?"

"Yes. 'Pia' means 'beloved', doesn't it? I took several languages," Piper asked, shaking the woman's hand warmly.

"Yes, it does," Pia explained, "I was born in Rajasthan, came to HIVE after I had practically taken over the area, and went on to become a doctor. You know, most doctors frown upon working with the forces of evil, but even Stalin got sick sometimes too."

"Pia here will be your main doctor," Scott explained, "and I will be able to spend more time with my patients. I'll be getting a lot more cases now that Colonel Francisco is starting close combat training."

Nina was pacing the gloomy cell as Nero sat on his pallet bed moping.

"This is terrible, Suit. I'm out of Twinkies!" Nina was saying.

"Nina, my wife and child are back at HIVE, and she'll send Raven here. They're a perfect target for Furan, and she won't make the mistake of letting them survive this time," Nero said.

"But I'm out of Twinkies! I always carry them around in my boots, and I'm out of them. Having no emergency food reserves is an emergency in itself! Piper came back form here and told us that they barely fed her, and now I see how true that is! I have no Twinkies, and something must sustain the Nina!"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR BOOTLEGGED TWINKIES!" Nero yelled, "Piper and my unborn child are back at HIVE! They're sitting ducks, waiting to be shot! They are the perfect target, and Piper is probably going insane not knowing where we are! Now do me a favor and SHUT UP!"

"Geez, Piper, it looks like you weren't young enough for him," Otto commented as Piper was talking to Dr. Singh.

A medical chart flew at his head, embedding itself into the wall inches from his head. "Shut up, Malpense! Max would never do that!" She lowered her voice to a deadly growl, "I didn't miss your head. That one was a warning. Next time you won't be so lucky, and Scott will have to clean up the brains splattered all over his walls."

Otto walked away, muttering something about Nina not being Nero's type as Piper asked, "Now where were we, Pia? You were saying something about ultrasounds before Malpense came in with some form of stupid injury."


	5. Phone Calls

The next week, Piper was sitting at Nero's desk when a call came into her Blackbox. She accepted, and Furan's scarred face came on the screen.

"Hello there, dear. Well, dear Piper Nero plus one, as I should say. Your husband misses you very much, Piper. You should hear him talk in his sleep. If I **had** a heart, I would say that it's almost charming. Would you like to talk to them?"

"Yes," Piper said, trying to keep from begging, "_Please._"

The camera shifted to someone else in the room. "They have no good food here!" exclaimed Nina, "There's no anything with sugar, and Suit's going crazy over your safety. They're threatening me with exercise, Piper! EXERCISE! How's your plus one?"

"Okay, Nina. It's still making me sick sometimes, but I don't think you miss that. I'd comply with their rules, though. It will keep you a lot safer. They have **much** worse that they can do to you. Exercise is for the lucky ones," Piper advised, slightly depressed that it wasn't Max on the line.

"I know. Think they teamed up with our old SSK buddies. They want to make me into one of their soldiers. Here, I'll pass you to Suit now. He seems to be getting antsy to talk to you."

The camera shook, being handed over to a rather unkempt Nero. "Piper! Thank Gd you're safe! Be careful. They want you too now. How are you doing now, angel?"

"Better now that I know you're safe. Scott and Singh are thinking that our plus one is doing well. But I miss you so much, Max," Piper beamed at the sight of her Nero, noting that they had allowed him to keep his wedding band.

"Piper, you know that I still say goodnight to you as I fall asleep? I'm a creature of habit, I guess," he smiled.

"I find it creepy. Half the time I think he's saying good night to _**me**_," Nina interjected.

"I keep dreaming that I'm going to wake up next to you, angel, and realize that this is all a terrible dream," Nero said, "Then I wake up holding a pillow."

"Watch it, almost Piper-related TMI," Nina contributed, "He talks in his sleep and doesn't stop, even when I throw things at him. He won't shut up."

"Lovely," grimaced Piper, "What are they doing to you, Max?"

"We're playing a waiting game. Furan wants information in order to take over GLOVE. Once she has GLOVE, she will have the world in her hands," Nero confessed, "But I haven't told her anything yet. Nothing other than the fact that I'm worried about you and your plus one."

"Max, I'm **fine**. We're **fine**. I'm more worried about you."

"Piper, it's no problem if I end up dying. You can always take my place at HIVE and in GLOVE – you know enough. And you have to raise-"

"Time's up, idiot," Furan pulled the Blackbox out of his hands.

As she pulled it away, he said painfully, "I love you, angel plus one."

"I love you, my field agent," Piper tried not to sob as the camera blinked back to Furan.

"You can talk to them once a week if they choose to behave and give the information that I want. As long as I don't get wind of a rescue operation orchestrated by you. He will die very quickly if that happens." The camera went black, and Piper continued to stare at it.

Max was alive. She would be able to talk to him again. Maybe, very, very deep down, Furan understood the concept of "family" after all.


	6. Get Out Alive

Three weeks after the phone call, a 14-week pregnant Piper woke up to the beeping of her Blackbox. Raven was on her way back to HIVE.

_Cancel that_, Piper wrote, _Furan ambushed Max and Nina and has had them for weeks. I haven't been able to reach you until now, and the Colonel is still looking for the Glasshouse. I haven't heard from Max in three weeks. He's been gone for a month._

_Going to Russia, _Raven wrote back_, I'll get them back for you. Don't worry; your plus one will have a father. _

Piper rolled over, the other side of the bed still cold and made. **A month.** Max had been gone for a whole month of appointments, vomiting, and meetings with Scott and Singh. Having the whole quarters to herself was lonely, but soon (perhaps too soon) she would probably get all of five minutes worth of peace and quiet for a week.

Running the school was **amazingly** lonely. First off, Max wasn't there for her. Then with Raven and Nina both gone, life was off. And of course, Scott and Singh ordering tests and scans left and right. Piper could see why Max had slit his wrist. Missing the other half of you was **beyond** pain, **beyond** misery…

_Max, what are they doing to you and Nina? Why haven't I heard from you? Max, I miss you so much… _She tried to stop herself from crying but that didn't happen. "Mood swings," Singh had told her. They were normal. _Max, I just want to kiss you again. I want to hug you again. I want to wake up in your arms, my field agent. Darling, I want you back. I bet they're hurting you. I want you back. I want to be able to hold you again. I miss you so much…___Piper was bawling by now, tears rolling down her cheeks. _Max would have wiped them off and given her a hug. He would have kissed her and let her cry on his shoulder, but she would still have her Max. _

She twisted her wedding ring on her finger, twirling the metal olive branch crown on a chain around her neck, Nero's first present to her. "Remember the Emperor," he had said. _I'll never forget. Ever._

"Piper," Nero muttered in his sleep, pulling her close, "I never thought I'd see you again, angel. I love you, angel, I love you, darling. I've missed you so much, Piper."

Nero woke up when one of Nina's shoes hit him in the head. "Shut up," she muttered across the cell, "You just keep talking to Piper. Stop talking and crying in your sleep, Suit. At least be quiet."

"My wife…my child…shut up, Nina," he grumbled back from across the cell. _Piper, what's happening to you? Where is Raven? Piper, I miss you so much. I would risk saying I would love to wake up next to you, but then you would be trapped here too. Anastasia Furan would not let you get out of here alive twice. That's the point of this place: you don't make it out alive._

He could just picture Piper, all alone, running the school by herself between ultrasounds and visits to the doctors. It must be awfully lonely.

_Piper, don't resort to what I did. I need you. Don't do what I did, angel. You're strong, stronger than me. Piper, don't hurt yourself. This isn't your fault…_

At that moment, in the bleak and overbearing darkness, Nero swore that he heard a voice in the back of his mind say, "I won't."


	7. Poor Lonely Piper

"Poor Piper, running the school by herself, waking up by herself, putting on her wedding ring out of devotion, talking only to a few people, taking up your job on her own, eating alone," Nina was telling Nero one afternoon.

"Stop, Nina."

"Wondering if she'll ever see you again, hoping the last thing she told you was nice, having no one to follow, no one to hug or kiss, wondering if her plus one will ever know its father, or if she'll raise him by herself," Nina continued.

"Shut up, Nina," Nero warned.

"Staying up all night worrying, finally falling into bed with no one to snuggle up with…"

"Nina, shut up and stop depressing me!" Nero shouted.

"At least she has the medical guy for company," Nina said, "Don't take that the wrong way, though. Oh, and don't take this the wrong way either, but those appointments require certain… _exams_, if you know what I mean."

Nero glared at her, saying, "Scott isn't doing them. We brought in a new doctor for Piper. She's said to be one of the best, and a HIVE graduate who conned her way into medical school because her family couldn't pay the tuition."

"That would have been a cause for hilarity," Nina moped.

"That's my **wife** you're talking about! She'd have **killed** Henry if…"

"But she let _**you **_do it," Nina snickered.

"Nina! Shut up about Piper!" Nero yelled.  
"Geez, I hope you don't talk to her like that, Suit. Then again, she'd be yelling at you."

"Shut up, Nina! You're depressing me. My wife is a t home with my unborn child, and it's a bit lonely here, and you aren't helping me," Nero said, twisting his wedding band on his finger, "Stop, Nina."

Scott, Singh, and piper stood around in the medical bay. "Piper, have you gotten a list of names narrowed down yet? We'll be able to tell you the gender soon," Scott said proudly.

Piper looked from him to Singh and back. "I really wanted to wait for Max…" From their looks of skepticism, she thought – she knew – that they were wondering if he would come back at all.

"He's coming back. I have faith in Raven and her abilities. I'd be out there now if it wasn't for," she put a hand to her stomach, "this one."

Her Blackbox bleeped, Raven calling in. "Piper, I'm staked out here. My team and I will be breaking in as soon as we see the first light tomorrow. For now, we're watching all exits and entrances. With some luck, we should be back at HIVE within a day. Well, a Russian day; sometime tomorrow by your time."

"I owe you one," Piper smiled.

"No problem, Mommy Piper. Auntie Raven'll break them out for free."


	8. It's a

Many days later, Piper was escorted down to the Shroud cavern. A drop ship had just landed, and Raven exited quickly, followed by a slightly disheveled Nero. Piper was still hugging him when she asked, "Max, where's Nina?'

"Piper, angel, she was taken out of the cell a few hours before Raven broke in. Furan sold her," Nero kissed Piper once again, "to the SSK for experimentation."

"Activation… the second dose," Piper gaped, "Max, we were experimented on when we were there, you know that. We were given drugs that are only activated by a second dose. I only got some of them, hence my mind reading ability. But if Nina is given the full dosages…well, she got the more destructive trial strain of proteins and DNA. With the second dose, we would have gotten better fighting abilities and the like. Nina will be able to break arms with a touch, Max. **If she wanted to, she could kill us all.**"

"Henry can work up an antidote, don't worry," Nero assured her.

Within seconds, Dr. Scott ran in with reports in his hands – the results of even more blood tests. Out of breath and slightly pink in the face, he panted, "Doctor, Piper, the chromosome tests just came back. It's a boy. Congratulations."

Nearly an hour later (Nero had insisted on telling the school that he was alive and okay), they had begun to discuss names. "Not Max," Nero had said.

"Of course not," Piper told him as Raven sprinted into the room.

"Piper, Nina is landing in the hangar bay now."

"There is no way I'm letting Piper go down there," Nero immediately informed them as he stood.

"Raven, Piper, Suit," Nina said with a smile, taking off her thermo-optic camouflage suit, "I'm back. Did you miss me?" Her eyes glinted red.


	9. The Return of Nina

Nero immediately moved in front of Piper, acting as a human shield. "Relax; I'm not going to hurt her. I'm just here to tell you that…," Her eyes widened, "**You're a doctor!**" The red momentarily left her eyes as she turned on her heels and ran screaming down the hall.

"Piper, what…?" Nero asked.

"The SSK taught us to fear doctors. Even **I** had an issue with you being a doctor at first. If you had a degree in the SSK, it was a license to be as cruel as you wanted to without fearing any sort of punishment. You actually thought she called you 'Suit' because she feared killing a named person? She doesn't call anyone but Raven and I our real names, because they could all become doctors one day."

"Piper, what can she do? She's amazingly thin after that stay with Furan. She can't possibly be able to hurt…"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Otto ran by, clutching a broken arm.

"It was only a high five, I swear," Nina was yelling from behind him, "But I'm not going near them!"

Nina had avoided people all week. Nero and anyone from the medical bay set her off. They were on top of the avoidance list, but she seemed to distrust many of the teachers as well. She did not associate with many people, visibly shrinking away when Nero, Scott or Singh walked past, even if they stayed far away from her.

Piper was increasingly agitated, seeing that Nero spent a lot of his time watching Nina via the school-wide video feed. "Max, why aren't you paying attention to **me**?" she asked, perched on his desk.

"I am, angel, but Nina is apt to destroy parts of the school," he said, playing the security tapes from block seven.

"Stop watching her, then!"

"Piper, I'm worried," Nero began.

"But not about me! Not about my health, not about names, not about the child kicking me in the stomach, not about what's going to happen in eighteen weeks…"

"Piper, I am! Nina is destroying things and hurting people, though!"

"Fine," she said icily, getting up off of the desk, "fool around with Nina. I know you're doing that. This avoidance thing is just a font. **I hate you, Maximilian Nero!**"

"Piper, angel, don't. You know I love you and only you."

"Then stop watching Nina! Stop your interest in her and look at your wife who's carrying your firstborn son. Don't ditch me for Nina."

"Piper, I'm not! I'm just concerned…" Piper slammed the door, cutting off his reply.

"_Great_," Nero muttered under his breath, "Nina's insane and Piper hates me. What a wonderful first week back." With that, he followed Piper out, intending to beg for his innocence if he had to.


	10. Not Supposed to Read This

**A.N.: This requires an ounce or two of maturity. Not too much, but you'll understand. An author can never be too careful about warnings. Got any name ideas?**

"Read this!" Nina chucked a book at Nero's head as she ran by, careful to avoid being within a ten-foot radius of him, "It'll help you find Piper!" She took off running. Nero flipped the book over in his hands. It was a simple notebook, much like the ones the students would use, but labeled, '_**Piper**_'. Heading back to his office, he read as he walked.

_**Day One**_

_I'm safe. I've found the Emperor that the one good doctor, Doctor Swan, told me about. As she died – bled out on the linoleum floor- she told him not to stop running until I found him._

_He works for GLOVE, training students to become their agents. I wouldn't doubt that he was once an agent himself…he seems to be an interesting character, albeit quite secretive._

_He says to call him Max, which sounds so natural to me, but the SSK trained us to call people only by their titles. I think 'Max', but I end up saying, 'Doctor'. I despise it, but I've been programmed and brainwashed into it. –Piper _

Nero knew that he really shouldn't read on, but he did anyway. Piper seemed to have a lot to say about him.

_He has the body of a field agent…makes me __**wonder**__…__is that bad__- __to be wondering, I mean__? … Thoroughly in love… cuddly supervillain…showering me in kisses…should __**never**__ change that cologne…wedding night…body of an ancient Greek god…_

He read further, turning red at some of the entries around (and especially the one written on the day after) their wedding. Had Piper really written that? She had described some things quite vividly, but, after all, no one was meant to read this, not even him, whom she told nearly everything. Nonetheless, he continued reading until he had finished the latest entry.

…_missed him so much. If it wasn't for the baby, I would have been out there looking for him myself. I'm sure I would have resorted to what he did if I only had me to think about._

_He's been watching Nina closely. I shouldn't be worrying, but there's so much to worry over these days. __**What if…?**__ - Piper_


	11. What are You Doing with Nina?

Nero found Piper sitting in the dark outside, watching the ocean. Seeing the book in his hand, she immediately shrieked, "Max! Where did you get that?!"

He sat down beside her, handing the book back and saying, "I'm sorry, angel. Nina threw it at me and… well, I read it. I'm sorry."

"You read it."

"Yes," he admitted, "I did. You're a great writer. It's quite, um, **detailed** in parts, especially about me and…**us**."

"Max, no one was supposed to read that! Not even you! How would you like it if I…"

"Angel, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I thought it would help me find you."

"Max," she looked him straight in the eye, "What are you doing with Nina?"

"Nothing, angel," he told her, "I promise. I love you more than there are words for. I promise on anything and everything dear to me that I only have you." He put a hand to her stomach, continuing, "I swear on him."

"Max, darling," she sighed, "I can't stay mad at you, my field agent. I love you so much. I love you for loving me. I love you for loving me, even when I'm an idiot."

"Angel, you're a genius."

"Thought of any names so far?" she smiled, hugging him.


	12. January 19, 2:37 PM

"You're not fat, angel," Nero smiled at the now quite pregnant Piper who sat next to him. Her smile was interrupted by a slight wince, and Nero raised an eyebrow. "Angel?"

"I'm fine, Max. Really."

"But Singh said that any day now…" Nero looked worried.

"Max, **I'm fine**. Relax."

A few minutes later, Nero and Piper were looking over a report from GLOVE, stifling yawns over the economic section when Piper clenched his hand. "Max, we have to find Henry and Pia. **Now."**

Nina was monitoring the security cameras when she saw Nero and Piper heading for the medical bay in a hurry, and she nodded to Raven seconds later s HIVEmind said over the announcements, "Ladies and gentlemen, students and staff, the medical bay is temporarily closed, as all medical staff is needed."

"Today," Nina announced triumphantly, "I shall become Auntie Nina!"

"Poor Piper," Raven spun in her chair to turn off the medical bay feed, "She's so young to be going through this much pain. Supposedly it's worse than being a war hero. I wonder if we should go and offer our congratulations in a few hours."

"I'm staying **well** away from medical doctors. You know Suit has a degree in psychology? That's scary," Nina replied, "I'm surprised Piper isn't terrified of him."

"She's terrified **now**, I'm sure," Raven told her, "The staff knows that announcement code; they're all on edge."

Otto leaned over and whispered to Wing, "I bet it's Piper." Professor Pike had set them to their assignments, not looking up when the announcement came on, still tinkering with a dangerous looking device set up on the table in the front of the room.

"I'm willing to bet," Laura nodded at them.

"'_Otto_' is a fine name. It will be my recommendation to them," Otto smirked, filling in a lab question that he had previously skipped.

"Like they'd ever take your advice," Shelby laughed, "Now what's number thirty?"


	13. Never Again

**A.N.: Once again, I have reached the last chapter. Don't worry, though. More adventures (misadventures?) will be published soon! Enjoy!**

* * *

Scott and Singh were on high alert and in full action mod, having curtained off a bed and immediately given Piper a dose of painkillers.

Nero had remained calm, like he always did in a crisis. His jacket was draped over the back of his chair, which was set right next to Piper, who hadn't let go of his hand since he sat down.

"Angel, you're so brave," he said as she winced, almost crushing the bones in his hand, "And you still look beautiful."

"Max, you don't…know…how much…this hurts," she choked between breaths, "Imagine…being stabbed…where you…**really** don't…want to…be stabbed…but a hundred…times…worse…oh Gd…"

"Breathe, Piper," Scott advised.

"**Do I… look like…I'm not…breathing?!**" she yelled at him.

"Angel," She was focusing on Nero's face now, staring into his calm gray eyes as hers' filled with painful tears, "I love you. I love you so much, angel. You're doing wonderfully."

"Max…**Max…**" Tears were weaving tracks down her pale skin now, Nero not breaking their eye contact as he squeezed her hand in return, paying no attention to all of the blood, monitors, and the both constant and annoying jabber of the doctors.

Nina stood in the hallway with a megaphone, waiting outside of the medical bay doors. She wouldn't go in because of the doctors swarming around (not to mention Piper!).

"Name it Nemo! Or Nino! Just like Auntie Nina!" she yelled into the bullhorn, "Nino or Nemo!"

The door was wrenched open to reveal a livid Nero. "**My wife is giving birth, Nina! Get. Away. NOW!**"

This was the first time that she had seen him this angry. It was as if the Devil himself had appeared in Nero's clothes.

Nina nodded, turning on her heel and running as fast as she could as a cry of, "Max!" came from inside the medical bay.

Nero rejoined Piper, glancing past all of the blood once again. He wasn't a big fan of blood – he believed in the type of killing that left no traces, the kind that was neat and efficient. Messy murders left more of a chance for evidence. There were no bloody footprints when you killed with thallium.

Somewhat later, (though in Piper's mind it was an eternity), Doctor Singh smiled, holding a crying, bloody child as Piper finally closed her eyes, Nero kissing her and repeating over and over again how brave she was and how proud of her he was.

"It's a healthy boy," Scott smiled, "Congratulations."

Before they came back with a birth certificate, Piper managed a weak smile, saying, "Max, darling, I love you. But I am never going through this again. **Never** again."


End file.
